diff --git a/src/common/user-store.ts b/src/common/user-store.ts
index f7d3ade005..1a81c981f7 100644
--- a/src/common/user-store.ts
+++ b/src/common/user-store.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ export interface UserPreferences {
   downloadKubectlBinaries?: boolean;
   downloadBinariesPath?: string;
   kubectlBinariesPath?: string;
+  trayEnabled?: boolean;
 }
 
 export class UserStore extends BaseStore<UserStoreModel> {
@@ -59,6 +60,7 @@ export class UserStore extends BaseStore<UserStoreModel> {
     colorTheme: UserStore.defaultTheme,
     downloadMirror: "default",
     downloadKubectlBinaries: true,  // Download kubectl binaries matching cluster version
+    trayEnabled: true,
   };
 
   get isNewVersion() {
diff --git a/src/main/menu.ts b/src/main/menu.ts
index 0f12192c0b..9fab6947f1 100644
--- a/src/main/menu.ts
+++ b/src/main/menu.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import { clusterSettingsURL } from "../renderer/components/+cluster-settings/clu
 import logger from "./logger";
 
 export function initMenu(windowManager: WindowManager) {
-  autorun(() => buildMenu(windowManager), {
+  return autorun(() => buildMenu(windowManager), {
     delay: 100
   });
 }
diff --git a/src/main/tray.ts b/src/main/tray.ts
index 1e635a2fdb..b3d4782c25 100644
--- a/src/main/tray.ts
+++ b/src/main/tray.ts
@@ -21,10 +21,14 @@ export const trayIcon = isDevelopment
   : path.resolve(__static, "logo.svg") // electron-builder's extraResources
 
 export function initTray(windowManager: WindowManager) {
-  return autorun(() => {
+  const dispose = autorun(() => {
     const menu = createTrayMenu(windowManager);
     buildTray(menu);
   })
+  return () => {
+    tray?.destroy();
+    dispose();
+  }
 }
 
 export async function buildTray(menu: Menu) {
@@ -36,10 +40,7 @@ export async function buildTray(menu: Menu) {
     height: iconSize
   });
 
-  if (tray) {
-    tray.destroy(); // remove old tray on update
-  }
-
+  tray?.destroy(); // remove previous tray first
   tray = new Tray(icon)
   tray.setToolTip(packageInfo.description)
   tray.setIgnoreDoubleClickEvents(true);
diff --git a/src/main/window-manager.ts b/src/main/window-manager.ts
index 01a4b1d898..f5235e5771 100644
--- a/src/main/window-manager.ts
+++ b/src/main/window-manager.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 import type { ClusterId } from "../common/cluster-store";
 import { clusterStore } from "../common/cluster-store";
+import { userStore } from "../common/user-store";
+import { observable, reaction } from "mobx";
 import { BrowserWindow, dialog, ipcMain, shell, webContents } from "electron"
 import windowStateKeeper from "electron-window-state"
-import { observable } from "mobx";
 import { initMenu } from "./menu";
 import { initTray } from "./tray";
 
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ export class WindowManager {
   public mainView: BrowserWindow;
   protected splashWindow: BrowserWindow;
   protected windowState: windowStateKeeper.State;
+  protected disposers: Record<string, Function> = {};
 
   @observable activeClusterId: ClusterId;
 
@@ -52,9 +54,17 @@ export class WindowManager {
     this.initMenus();
   }
 
-  async initMenus() {
-    initMenu(this);
-    initTray(this);
+  protected async initMenus() {
+    this.disposers.menuAutoUpdater = initMenu(this);
+    this.disposers.trayAutoBind = reaction(() => userStore.preferences.trayEnabled, isEnabled => {
+      if (isEnabled) {
+        this.disposers.trayAutoUpdater = initTray(this);
+      } else {
+        this.disposers?.trayAutoUpdater();
+      }
+    }, {
+      fireImmediately: true
+    });
   }
 
   bringToTop() {
@@ -120,5 +130,9 @@ export class WindowManager {
     this.windowState.unmanage();
     this.splashWindow.destroy();
     this.mainView.destroy();
+    Object.entries(this.disposers).forEach(([name, dispose]) => {
+      dispose();
+      delete this.disposers[name]
+    });
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/renderer/components/+preferences/preferences.tsx b/src/renderer/components/+preferences/preferences.tsx
index a1b86c19cd..8b98750dac 100644
--- a/src/renderer/components/+preferences/preferences.tsx
+++ b/src/renderer/components/+preferences/preferences.tsx
@@ -194,6 +194,16 @@ export class Preferences extends React.Component {
           <small className="hint">
             <Trans>Telemetry & usage data is collected to continuously improve the Lens experience.</Trans>
           </small>
+
+          <h2><Trans>Tray icon</Trans></h2>
+          <Checkbox
+            label={<Trans>Enable tray icon</Trans>}
+            value={preferences.trayEnabled}
+            onChange={v => preferences.trayEnabled = v}
+          />
+          <small className="hint">
+            <Trans>Adds OS-level tray icon and menu to get quick access to Lens</Trans>
+          </small>
         </WizardLayout>
       </div>
     );